Made to Order: At Shelby Floats & Barbecue, it's all about the meat

Apr. 17, 2013

The barbecued ribs were much better than we expected / Submitted photo

The chicken and biscuits were way above average. / Submitted photo

More

ADVERTISEMENT

OK, last week I visited a barbecue, and this week, again, a barbecue. This trend is simply a deep desire to push spring into our midst and the great food that goes along with it.

Although I pointed out last week a great southern Bellville barbecue restaurant, I also found a tiny gem of smoky goodness in Shelby. Since I work in Shelby at Pioneer Career and Technology Center, I really wanted to know if this small town had a good barbecue to explore.

Shelby Floats & BBQ is celebrating its first anniversary and has some very passionate people working in the kitchen. They feel well-prepared barbecue and the equally important sides should work in harmony.

While Chef Andrea was coaching track, I brought some qualified people to help give me an opinion and devour some good ole’ barbecue. Jim and Becki were my support staff for the day and eagerly voiced what they wanted.

The owner, Dawn Kershner, had the steam table loaded with her typical menu items, starting with huge smoked pork ribs, which were not sauced. Jim and I thought they were definitely in the top two and Dawn moves these ribs out the door to a demanding crowd. The taste was outstanding, with hints of hickory and applewood throughout.

On Fridays, this little restaurant has a line of takeout orders filled with these meaty bones. Along with those ribs, we sampled perfectly cheesy potatoes with a crisp topping. Next, we had the No. 1 seller at the restaurant, beef brisket.

Many times, barbecues mask the natural flavor of the smoke by sopping the meat with their sauce. Shelby Floats & BBQ thinks meat should be the showcase, while the sauce comes along for the ride. This brisket had just a small amount of sauce to keep the meat on a bun, drawing additional moistness from the meat itself.

The coleslaw provided was just the way I like it — sweet, saucy and naturally rough cut. The pulled pork, on a light but flavorful bun, had all three of us talking. The tangy barbecue sauce was just the right amount of zesty zing we would hope for. It was perfectly moist.

Pulled pork is usually drawn from shoulder meat and differs from state to state in its preparation and companion sauces. It all is smoked for long periods of time at a low temperature. They also do something I haven’t seen — they smoke their giant hot dogs, which gives them a unique flavor, with their mild sauce.

Some other sides by Shelby Floats & BBQ are mac-n-cheese, baked beans and green beans with pieces of brisket. The green beans especially found favor with my group of samplers, who adored that hickory essence. Once we finished pork and beef, it was time for my personal favorite, the smoked chicken breast. Their skin-on chicken breast is not overly smoky, but has a subtle boost of flavor because of the care Dawn and crew put forth. It was some of the most moist and delicious chicken I’ve had recently. Their wings were easy to eat, lightly sauced and would be phenomenal at any get-together.

We asked that even though they have a pretty big selection, if there happened to be a special? Dawn smiled and quickly treated us to the best chicken and dumplings we’ve had. So often chicken and dumplings are made of biscuit mix plopped into chicken broth with little or no chicken. This was so much more. The dumplings were flat, but tender, and incorporated into a rich broth with plenty of chicken and vegetables. Flashbacks of my grandmother Mabel’s chicken and dumplings came to mind.

I inquired with Dawn about pricing of food for my twin boys’ graduation party, and found it to be very affordable. Although they don’t serve, they can deliver for many events, such as reunions, family events and graduations. I found this to be an excellent, cost-effective option for country-style weddings in barn venues. Most food for weddings run about $25 and up per person, but Shelby Floats & BBQ can provide food with my estimates for $9-$15 per person.

Since the name indicates they serve floats, we enjoyed a root beer float and some of their Hershey’s ice cream on the way out.

Try this little barbecue nestled within the heart of Shelby across from the post office at 19 N. Gamble St. Call 419-342-7427 for information or visit them on Facebook for a complete menu and upcoming events.

Chef Seth Weibel owns his own bakery, Sweet Peace Cakes & Desserts, and is a culinary arts teacher at Pioneer Career and Technology Center. Email him at chefweibel@gmail.com.